How To Get More Energy When You're Just So Tired

How To Get More Energy When You're Just So Tired

photographed by Michael Beckert; produced by Sam Nodelman; modeled by Selah Fong; produced by Yuki Mizuma.

Sometimes it feels like there are simply not enough gallons of coffee, banger Rihanna tracks, or naps in the world to keep you running at a human level of energy all day long. That's NBD if it happens occasionally, but if you're perpetually exhausted, that's generally considered abnormal.

"If you wake up and never feel rested, feel groggy and tired throughout the day, or nod off in things you don’t want to fall asleep in, that's a problem," says Lawrence Epstein, MD, medical director of clinical sleep medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital, and spokesperson for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. In some cases, fatigue can be a sign of a more serious health issue, but most of the time it's due to a lack of sleep, Dr. Epstein says.

So, what can you do to get more energy when you're really, truly tired? "Really there is no substitute for not getting enough sleep," Dr. Epstein says. Sadly, sleep is not always an option when you need it, so sometimes you have to find ways to cope until you can go to bed.

Here are some strategies that will help you get better sleep at night and stay more energised during the day — besides, you know, sleep.